Master Musician's Festival—Take 1

The lead vocalist and guitar player for Too Many Drummers had an interesting story to tell. He told of his family's adventure to sail around the world. He made clear that they had not done it all at once but over a period of eleven years. If you have ever paid attention to the accounts of people braving the open sea in a relatively small sailboat you cannot come away unimpressed with the bravery of these people. He told of being alone at night standing watch when everyone else was asleep and the darkness being so profound one could not see anything at all and how easy it was for despair to creep in. Then he told of watching the sun come up over the ocean and how the light played off the water and how it brought an overwhelming sense of ….....hope.

I expected a band with this name to be all about drums but I was surprised to find that is not the case. This name is derived from an experience with the world from which messages come at a person from all sides and angles, just as if instead of following one's own drummer there are a multitude of drummers vying for your attention and how difficult it is to hear your own drummer. Hence the name “Too Many Drummers.”

The credits for this band listed the Icthus Festival as well as some other Christian formats and I asked Dave Abbott if they were a Christian band. He hesitated for a moment and replied “we are Christians who play music.” A distinction since their music is not overtly religious but does carry a message that there is more here than just the beat and words that rhyme. In his words they try to do music that has some depth. He understood that might sound pretentious but I assured him I understood his meaning. Bands are so much more enjoyable when you know where they are coming from.

Knowing where they come from was no problem concerning Tommy Minton and Kelly Caldwell. I am not as familiar with Ms. Caldwell but I have known Tommy since he was about 12 years of age. I was present when he first began showing up at gatherings and pickings. Not a few of us were amazed at his ability then and are no less amazed now. I can recall attending bluegrass festivals and listening to Tommy hold his own around a campfire with headline performers. His progression through the banjo, mandolin and guitar was meteoric and it was his need for a good guitar that was the inspiration for the first Master Musician's Festival. It was this connection that was honored this year by presenting Tommy with the 20^th anniversary Master Musician's Award. It was justly so. His collaboration with Kelly Caldwell not only contributes harmonies and accompaniment but also is the impetus for expanding horizons. A couple of covers of Civil Wars tunes was spot on and illuminated some of the directions that Bluegrass music and it's cousin, Americana music, are taking. The harmonies perfected by the Civil Wars were more than adequately expressed by Tommy and Kelly. Tommy played all four instruments and near the end of his set returned to an old standby bluegrass gospel rendition of “I'm Working on a Building.” Personally, I don't think this set was topped by any other act there and I'm ecstatic I made the effort to be present for the noon kickoff on Saturday.

I was looking forward to seeing and listening to The Dirty Grindstones this year following Brandon Roush's foray into the national spotlight with his appearance on The Voice. I thought he did a better job than he was given credit for on the show but I told Juanita then that I had heard him do better on our local stage. Saturday he showed us he could do better and the band showed us why. Austin Roush on lead guitar is simply an impresario of rock. His antics are reminiscent of Angus Young and his vocal harmonies fill out the cavities. The entire band carried on for a solid hour and a half of whirling dervish rock and roll in stifling heat. I recall when I first saw this band a few years ago they were playing under a different name and I accused them of raiding their grandparents rock and roll library for their influences. Influences such as Joe Cocker, Led Zeppelin and AC/DC are apparent and their skill and confidence on stage has only grown. They certainly have the chops to hit the big time but luck plays a big part in that. The wealth of talent available to see greatly exceeds the time allotted for the most commercially successful acts.

Gabrielle Mattingly (now Gray) deserves our thanks for her vision and those who have contributed time, effort and sweat over the past two decades are to be appreciated also. This festival is perhaps the premier event that takes place in our locality. While it could not have prospered without help from governmental and private agencies it is the dedication of hundreds of people that have made it possible. Of late, Tiffany Bourne, current board President has done a splendid job shepherding the resources necessary to expand the attendance and influence of this festival. This year the presence of Willie Nelson on the playbill increased the attendance to a record 6000 or so for both nights. The current venue could possible hold a few more but it is near capacity. This year marked the first year for legal alcohol sales and it went over almost without a hitch. Not bad for a first year. I was watching for evidence of excessive consumption and judged this crowd to be better behaved than many I have seen.

This year was also the first year that the festival received a lot of promotional coverage in the newspapers. The Commonwealth-Journal did a pretty good job with coverage and the Lexington Herald-Leader also kicked in with a good writeup. It is this kind of thing that I have been saying will promote our area to people who are not aware of its charms and will contribute to the financial opportunities available.

Kudos to all those who make this festival possible. Successful events in our area have been few with the Somernights Cruise being the other example. I am looking forward to bigger and better things in the future. I plan to follow up with some comments on other performers since it was a pretty strong lineup top to bottom.

My take? Rock on!

An Insecure Nation

They made me take my pocket knife back to the truck. Said it was for security. I had to laugh at them. It was a couple of young women in military uniforms who were conducting security checks at the entrance to the Master Musician's Festival. I don't blame them, they were just doing what they were instructed to do and there wasn't a lot of harm done. What harm there was is due to the effect of the overwhelming zeal for absolute security among our people. In my opinion, the excessive efforts at creating a secure environment in all circumstances is a pipe dream, a fantasy, that is neither possible nor attainable.

My pocket knife is a small Buck with a 2 ½ inch blade. Sure, it could be a dangerous weapon in the hands of a terrorist but it was much smaller than the knife I used to carry to school while in elementary school. I am sure you guys can remember when we would play “stretch” in the schoolyard. It was a game in which we threw our knives to stick them in the ground and the opposing person had to stretch to place his foot where the knife stuck. It was the greatest satisfaction to force your opponent to do it in small increments which meant you were throwing the knife an inch or two from his toes. We kept our pocket knives and no boy would be caught without one.

I told them my camera was more lethal than my pocket knife but I complied because the only objection I had was one of philosophy and it wasn't worth the hassle. I did however tell them that would be the first line of this column. I don't think they were impressed.

But the point of this is to comment on what I believe to be the extreme over militarization of America. Post 9/11 it seems we are experiencing mass trauma that has resulted in irrational fear. We now expect to be secure from any and all opportunities for experiencing violence. Such occurrences used to be accepted as a natural part of life but now, for some reason, we are afraid to go out in the dark without having some assurance from someone that nothing unpleasant will happen to us. It should be readily apparent that there is nothing we can do to attain complete security. A couple of guys with backpacks blow up stuff at the Boston Marathon, some guy walks into a theater and kills twelve people and wounding seventy more before stopping, a kid loaded with weaponry walks into a school in Connecticut and unloads on a bunch of kids in a classroom. Then the NRA starts talking about arming people in the schools and establishing a police presence in our schools as if this would have any impact at all on gun violence. Obviously the threat of death is not enough to deter these assailants since almost all of them are killed rather than captured.

At our festival we were surrounded by City Police, the Army Reserves or National Guard and whatever private security there was. Maybe it made someone feel safer but I seriously doubt it deterred anyone from violent behavior. Violent behavior is not deterred by the sight of uniforms. If a person is determined to find an outlet for violent tendencies they will be successful at some point. The solution to our violence lies elsewhere with solutions that are not as simple as packing a weapon. What has happened is that our free society is being stolen from us in bits and pieces by people lacking in understanding of what is required of a free people.

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin

Those who would live in a free society where personal liberties are valued simply cannot place more value on security than they do liberty. However, in our country it seems that those who cry loudest about freedom and liberty are those who will also advocate more policing and greater restrictions personal behavior. We are sometimes a schizophrenic people. I long for the time when a the presence of a police officer walking about in a friendly manner, interacting with the people, was enough to give confidence. Now we have the armed forces, police on golf carts and Segways all over the place but not walking about in the crowd talking to people in a conversational manner. We need these people to be part of the community rather than overlords to prevent us from harming ourselves. The following is a quote lifted from The Wall Street Journal.

Since the 1960s, in response to a range of perceived threats, law-enforcement agencies across the U.S., at every level of government, have been blurring the line between police officer and soldier. Driven by martial rhetoric and the availability of military-style equipment—from bayonets and M-16 rifles to armored personnel carriers—American police forces have often adopted a mind-set previously reserved for the battlefield. The war on drugs and, more recently, post-9/11 antiterrorism efforts have created a new figure on the U.S. scene: the warrior cop—armed to the teeth, ready to deal harshly with targeted wrongdoers, and a growing threat to familiar American liberties.

This in a society that used to have an army of “citizen soldiers” who were part of regular life and would return to it after being called up for some task. Now we lionize all soldiers, police, firemen and others as heroes. Most surely they deserve the love and respect of a grateful nation but we should remember that they are citizens, no more or no less that the rest of us. And, in a free society we must shoulder more personal responsibility for our own behavior rather than expecting some agency to protect us from life's surprises. And we mustn't place on government the responsibility for keeping us and our families safe from all harm. It is an impossible task and would require a cost too high to pay.

Rank Hypocrisy or Necessity

Egypt has been warned of the violence to come – by General Sisi himself | Gehad el-Haddad | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk


It is becoming more apparent that the coup in Egypt did not come about overnight.  While not many appreciated that the Islamic Brotherhood was the big winner in the elections even poll watchers acknowledged that it was, by and large, a free election.  The opposition to the Brotherhood did not organize and boycotted the election which is sort of like cutting off your nose to spite your face.  It will be difficult to find anyone here in the US that is terribly disappointed to see the Brotherhood fall but if we are to stand for democracy we must sometimes accept that we don't get our way.

Egypt is a key ally in our Middle East strategy such as it is, and a protector of Israel's southern flank.  There can be little doubt that the US was aware of these preparations and tacitly agreed to them.  Legally we can't proved aid to any government in which a military has overthrown a democratically elected regime so we aren't calling this a coup.  In fact, we aren't calling it anything and not a soul in our Congress is yelling about it.  Obviously this has to be seen as base hypocrisy around the globe.

Under the previous regime the Muslim Brotherhood was outlawed and the actions of the Generals now seem to be to decimate the influence of the Brotherhood and once again deny them a place on the ballot.  This tactic will only serve to inflame the Brotherhood and give rise to terrorist tactics that have some chance of success.  The Brotherhood controls some 25% of the vote and deserves a place at the table even if it is radical.  After all, we don't eliminate political parties just because they have an unpleasant agenda.

How do you like me now?

Tools of War Come Home to America | Peter Van Buren

when there is not enough war to satisfy profits those armaments manufacturers turn to domestic opportunities.  Yay, Raytheon.

Justice Denied

Halliburton Pleading Guilty to Destroying Oil Spill Files - Bloomberg


a travesty of justice.  Halliburton pays a small fine but avoids culpability in the Macondo Gulf oil spill that could have potentially bankrupted the company.  Federal prosecutors agree to not pursue criminal charges in return for a guilty plea to a misdemeanor.  There seems to be no end to the injustices bought by big money.

BP, on the other hand, was fined $4.5 billion and Transocean was fined $400 million.  I suppose Halliburton calculated it would be cheaper to say oops after the fact.  They were right.

Saturday at the festival. Blogging isn't all that easy without a big keyboard. Maybe I need to hire q kid to do it. .so far Tommy Minton has been the cream of the crop. He and Kelly Caldwell were top notch. The Dirty Grindstones rocked for a solid hour and a half. es

Bonepony. Stomp rock. Crowd will get up for this. Already sounded last call.

Big Leg Emma

Ifyou aren't a while aware this band gets its name from a Zappa and the Mothers song.  From Jamestown NY.

FRM. Yep It's a bit better.

Next up is The Flint Ridge Millers. Bluegrass. Should pick up the pace a little

M m f

Upcoming

Lots of stuff on the agenda over the next two days.  This is the weekend of the Master Musician's Festival and it is the 20th anniversary of this production.  Perhaps half of that time ago there was doubt the festival would even continue but the support and encouragement of many people encouraged those who do the work to press on.  Thanks folks.

I have said it many times, this is one of a couple of events hosted by independent groups and supported by the community at large.  This event and the Summer Night's Cruise are wonderful examples of what can be accomplished when people who are civic minded come together with purpose.


In the past I have prefaced the festival with a column in the paper but this year not only the Commonwealth-Journal did a very nice spread but the Lexington Herald-Leader did also.  That indicates that the hard work that has gone into this festival is paying off in recognition for our locality.  So, having been scooped by the papers I am going to try my hand at some live blogging this weekend.  Bear with me because it is somewhat new to me.  Last year the festival did not have a public wi-fi so I may have to use 4G to get it up.  I will post some photos you may enjoy so check the blog either from my URL or on the My Take page on facebook.

I'm looking forward to seeing lots of you there.  It is a big deal and a great reunion.  Y'all come.

Oh, did I mention that Tommy Minton will be our Master Musician and there's some guy named Willie supposed to be here.

I Is What I Is

Poor Paula Deen. That truck that ran over her backed up and did it again and again. The biggest surprise to me was that she did not have a business manager somewhere to advise, “Now, Paula. I know this ain't a big deal to you but you may have to eat some crow.” If there was such a person she must have said something like, “Now, Jimbo. I think I know these down home folks better than you. I is what I is.” We all know what happened from there.

I am amazed. Paula Deen is more than a person, she is a brand. She should have had better business sense than to assume that logic and reason would win out over emotional accusations of covert racism. My personal opinion is that there are very few of us who are free from some measure of covert racism. The thing about racism is not that you have it but that you have it and know it and try your darnedest to overcome it. That you know it is not just politically incorrect but also humanly incorrect. Then you can do something about it. I suppose I just don't understand those who condemn Paula (yes, we are on a first name basis) for having used the forbidden pejorative in her past. I personally don't know anyone who hasn't used that word. Yes, I know a few racists but I know more people who are aware of racism and do their best to avoid the practice of it.

I read several columnists who weighed in on Paula's problem and I found much more intractable criticism from Caucasian writers than from African-American writers. The African-American writers seemed satisfied with Paula's explanation and profession of transgression. They know all to well the tendencies of white folks and are somewhat suspicious of claims that one has never wandered across the line. Some Caucasian writers just piled on and offered no hope for redemption since she was from the South and obviously held Jim Crow latencies.

I don't want to seem that I am trying to diminish Paula's deeds. The worst thing is that she seemed somewhat insensitive to the impact of her actions. She just didn't believe that it would blow up in her face since she apologized and lived a good life. She is guilty of very bad judgment but I don't doubt her sincerity on this subject. And while we are there there is the question about her sincerity in taking up the diabetic cause some two years after she found out she was diabetic herself. She is accused of using the disease to promote herself, a diabetes drug she endorsed and a cooking show hosted by one of her sons. What about that? Well, get a grip, folks. As I said, Paula Deen is not just a name, it is a brand. Of course she used whatever advantages she had available to promote her brand. That is the way businesses are promoted. I am not going to take time to try to think of other examples but she is certainly not the first to use a physical problem to promote her brand.

If we are going to talk about racism then forget about Paula Deen. She is not going to move the needle on the practice of racism in this country. As I said, I know a few racists and I know there are lots more where they came from. But it is not even those who shout the n word out loud that are the biggest problem. Rather, it is the ones who try to convince others that racism does not exist. Who go about saying, “oh, we're not the country we used to be” and we aren't. Lots of things have gotten better for minorities since my childhood but racism still exists in an institutionalized way that serves to keep some people who were at a disadvantage. The economics of racism are clear when we look at the statistics of wealth, imprisonment and opportunity in this country. We have not reached the mountaintop just yet. This is a fact that the Supreme Court seems to have missed. As a matter of fact the Court seems to have missed a few key decisions that expose an ivory tower mindset on some matters concerning protection of the downtrodden. The Court seems to think we have moved into a post-racist kind of society where, even though inequities exist, they aren't due to racism. I long for the common sense decisions of Justice O'Connor. Even though she was a Reagan appointee she managed her swing vote pretty much for the common person. Her replacement as the swing vote, Justice Kennedy, does not seem to have the same sensibility Justice O'Connor had. He seems to lack an awareness of what life is like in the trenches. With the recent rulings concerning the Voting Rights Act he seemed to think that there are no attempts to keep minorities from the voting places any more which should have been painfully obvious both before and after his ruling. Affirmative Action is under the knife even thought it has done more to bring minorities economic parity than any other single act of Congress. The values of affirmative action are not immediately seen but take a generation or two to become apparent. In the absence of such action great suffering can happen in a generation or two. Justice Kennedy exhibited this same tendency in the Citizens United ruling that opened the floodgates for the corruption of unlimited money in our political campaigns. He expounded that it would allow the voters to judge for themselves the value of that expenditure of money. A fallacy so profound since it ignores the fact that more money buys more time less money does the opposite.

The thing about racism is that it is a moving target. The ways that we effect racism change in response to the efforts to minimize it because some parties will always gain an advantage if certain people are denied equal access to our political process.

My take? Let up on Paula. She is guilty of nothing more than being disingenuous. If that were a crime there is not a person alive that could withstand judgment. But, if you're after racism then get serious. Look inside, deeply.